Current Affairs Quiz Today – 22nd Jan 2021

ANS: (C) Both 1 and 2

Explanation

• Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offense where the sentence is a sentence of death.
  • However, the President cannot exercise his power of pardon independent of the government.
  • In several cases, the SC has ruled that the President has to act on the advice of the Council of Ministers while deciding mercy pleas. These include Maru Ram vs Union of India in 1980 and Dhananjoy Chatterjee vs State of West Bengal in 1994. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The scope of the pardoning power of the President under Article 72 is wider than the pardoning power of the Governor under Article 161 which differs in the following two ways:
  • Court Martial: The power of the President to grant pardon extends in cases where the punishment or sentence is by a Court Martial but Article 161 does not provide any such power to the Governor.
  • Death sentence: The President can grant pardon in all cases where the sentence is given is the sentence of death but the pardoning power of the Governor does not extend to death sentence cases. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

ANS: (C) Both 1 and 2

Explanation

• AstroSat is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands simultaneously with its five unique X-ray and ultraviolet telescopes working in tandem. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• One of the unique features of AstroSat mission is that it enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It is a multi-wavelength astronomy mission on an IRS-class (Indian Remote Sensing-Class) satellite in a 650-km, near-equatorial orbit.

ANS: (C) 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

ANS: (D) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

• Recently, India Innovation Index Report 2020 was released by NITI Aayog in which Karnataka retained its top position in the major States category. Hence, the statement 1 is correct.
• In making India Innovation Index Institutions involved include NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Ayog with the Institute for Competitiveness.
• The index has been developed on the lines of the Global Innovation Index (GII), to ameliorate the innovation ecosystem of India. Hence, the statement 2 is correct.
• The indicators that the survey uses includes parameters such as:
  • Number of PhD students, enrolment in engineering and technology colleges and number of highly skilled professionals.
  • Investment in R&D and number of patents and trademark applications filed.
  • Number of Internet subscribers. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
  • FDI inflows and business environment.

ANS: (C) 4 only

Explanation

• Shaurya is a land variant of short-range Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) K-15 Sagarika, which has a range of at least 750 kilometers.
  • It is capable of carrying payloads of 200 kg to 1000 kg.
  • It is a surface-to-surface tactical missile.
• BrahMos is a Supersonic cruise missile.
  • Being developed with Russia as a private joint-venture.
  • Multi-platform cruise can strike from various types of platforms.
  • Among the world fastest supersonic cruise missiles with speeds ranging between Mach 2.5 – 2.8.
  • A ‘fire and forget’ weapon i.e. requiring no further guidance from the control centre once the target has been assigned
• Prithvi is the first indigenously built ballistic missile.
  • Surface-to-surface battlefield missile.
  • Demonstrates higher lethal effects and high level capability with field interchangeable warheads.
  • Range from 150 km to 300 km.
• NAG is a third generation ‘fire-and-forget’ anti-tank missile with a range of 4-8km.
  • Developed indigenously as an anti-armour weapon employing sensor fusion technologies for flight guidance.
  • HELINA (Helicopter Launched NAG) is the air-to-surface version of the NAG integrated into Dhruv Helicopters.
• Hence, option C is correct.